The Train Ride Through The Illinois Countryside That Shows Off Fall Foliage
By Linze Rice|Published October 10, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
I’m going to be honest: I’m not a great flyer. Although I love learning about airplanes, I’m a nervous wreck using them. Still, I love to travel, and sometimes you want to enjoy the ride from the window seat as opposed to being the driving force behind it. That’s why I love trains — Amtrak in particular offers amazing opportunities at affordable prices to take leisurely visits throughout the United States. And with autumn being the most beautiful time of year, there’s no time like the present to hop on board and see the colors change. In fact, the best train ride to view fall foliage in Illinois will let you take in the autumnal scenery all the way to California if you wish.
The California Zephyr, an iconic Amtrak train, offers a unique opportunity to travel through some of the nation's most notable places during a 51-hour and 20-minute trip west from Chicago to San Francisco. Departing daily, the train offers a customizable itinerary that allows you to begin and end your adventure whenever you choose.
For those looking to only travel through Illinois, a single rider can make the trek from Chicago to Burlington, Iowa for just $38 each way. Or, to go further along the route, consider using a USA Rail Pass, which allows you to enter and exit the train at numerous stopping points at a discounted price.
To go all the way to the west coast and back again round-trip starts at $390, with private rooms also available. The train comes with fantastic window views, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner options — though you can also bring your snacks on board.
The trip begins in Chicago at Union Station, a beautiful sight in its own right, though not much to offer in the way of foliage. The rest of the city, however, offers a dazzling display of autumnal colors that's great for exploring before or after the ride.
Next up is the western suburb of Naperville, an upscale community with great downtown restaurants, shopping, a historic village, and a riverwalk that's great for leg stretching and basking in the glow of surrounding trees.
You'll move through golden cornfields, small towns, and gorgeous wooded areas on your way to Princeton, where a quaint Main Street area is straight out of a magazine. But the rural town also has much to offer in foliage, as it is just outside the Illinois River Valley and other scenic spots, such as Starved Rock State Park.
Press on a little further because you're not quite across all of Illinois yet until you cross the Mississippi River. Though you're technically headed into another state, the views of the river and its foliage-filled banks are more than worth the ride.
Just across the river in Burlington, Iowa you'll find a charming small town bursting with colorful landscape, (both natural and perfectly pruned), showcasing beautiful reds, coppers, golds, and greens.
At this point, you can either book another ticket and head back to Chicago, or carry on westward all the way to California.
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The rest of the journey holds incredible opportunities to view the country, passing through the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevadas, and ending in Emeryville, California, just across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Not only will you see breathtaking fall foliage, but you'll have the opportunity to explore some of the nation's best natural wonders, cities, and small towns.
With this colorful leaf overload, it’s easy to see why the California Zephyr has long been considered the best train ride to view fall foliage in Illinois. Have you rode it before? What’s a must-explore stop? Tell us in the comments! Start planning your trip by checking out the Amtrak website and the Amtrak Facebook page. And make sure you’re equipped with all the road trip packing essentials (including the best road trip snacks) so that your ride is comfy and relaxing.
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